Fashion Style Advice

March 2007 – Fashion, style and elegance has begun to enter the kitchen. Rather than just the chefs looking great, their tools are beginning to take on a more contemporary visage. What started out as a niche market with small appliances increasingly straying from the tried and tested blueprint of a white outer shell, refrigerators and cookers are now changing too; perhaps the term “white goods” is outdated in today’s cosmopolitan world as manufacturers are producing appliances with a glossy black appearance.

With reality TV and celebrity chefs combining to influence much of the general public’s everyday life, it’s no wonder that there’s a shift in the focal point of the modern day family. The kitchen has been moved more into the eye line with open plan living areas, thus coordination and design have also become just as important for the cooking space. Just like furniture, as kitchen appliances aren’t being bought just because of their functionality, but increasingly because of their design and desirability.

Maytag have responded to consumer wishes by producing a range of black American fridge freezers. The glossy, reflective black fascia is technology borrowed from the more traditionally luxurious car market. The end product is a brilliant mirror-like finish that appeals to emotions rather than just the practical senses. Samsung have also entered the black refrigerator market, with 3 different models in its RS21 range. The trademark glass black finish usually reserved for their TVs and mobile phones has been translated flawlessly to add sophistication to the market.

Whirlpool, Bosch and SMEG haven’t been left out of the black refrigerator market, either. All three manufacturers have produced highly desirable classy American fridge freezers, all intended to appeal to the fashion conscious, with Bosch declaring that ‘black is back’. SMEG have taken styling and design in the kitchen even further by making standing fridges available with a Union Jack themed livery.

Design, sophistication, flair – all these terms are the messages that black glossy appliances are designed to convey. It’s easy to forget that this latest fashion accessory is just a fridge, but this statement itself would be some way off the mark too. These USA fridge freezers invariably come with the same features as those seen on American TV sitcoms. They open up like wardrobes, revealing a huge amount of storage space, and plenty of flexibility with the arrangement of shelving. Humidity control, frost free freezing, special cooling technology and an external ice dispenser generally come as standard. Rest assured that different manufacturers will have differing technologies to sell, so potential buyers will have plenty to choose from.

The fashionable trend setters among us will be clamouring to get their hands on this new wave of trendy kitchen appliances, and many people will also discover how hard it is to resist these gorgeous items. It’s a trend that’s likely to continue, and there will probably be even better looking designs and objects available for the kitchen in the future. Like football boots, where the traditional all black leather design is now a rarity, white coloured kitchen appliances could well become retro in a few years. It’s conceivable that in the near future black won’t be cool, but rather just another colour available to an ever discerning consumer.

Your fashion goal may be to look chic.  But if when you look in the mirror, you more closely resemble a sack of potatoes than a fashion model, you’re in need of a fashion fix.

It’s a misnomer that you have to be stick-thin or six feet tall to look good. Anyone of any size can look great in clothing if they are dressing for their body type, select figure-flattering pieces and ensure that every piece fits their body correctly.

To start fixing your fashion mistakes, first assess your body type. One of the biggest mistakes women make in fashion is not playing to their strengths. Whether you’re an hourglass, have lovely, broad shoulders or enviable narrow hips, even a fabulous designer piece can make you look like you’re wearing a shapeless bag if it isn’t cut right for your body type.

Consult websites and fashion magazines to become familiar with looks that accentuate your shape. Then, start shopping with those looks in mind.

Next, take a critical eye to your existing wardrobe. What pieces do you have that look great, are in good shape, and fit you well? Which pieces are too big, too small or shapeless? Sort everything into two piles–the clothes that flatter and the ones that don’t.

The “Don’t Flatter” pile should be further assessed for quality pieces that can be altered to fit you correctly. The rest should be tossed to make room in your closet for clothes that work!

The final step is to find a good seamstress or tailor. Solicit recommendations from friends or check out websites with reviews of tailors or shops in your area who do quality work and charge appropriately. This service will become an invaluable resource to you, not only in helping you look your best in your existing clothing but also in adding value to your future fashion investments.